NATO pledges record aid to Ukraine

According to a BBC report, during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format) meeting held in Brussels on April 11, NATO countries and their allies decided to provide a record level of aid to Kyiv, totaling over €21 billion.

This support aims to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.

Germany will provide the largest portion of this amount, €11 billion, while Britain will contribute approximately €5.2 billion.

According to statements by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Berlin’s upcoming aid to Kyiv includes 100,000 artillery shells, 25 armored combat vehicles, 15 main battle tanks, 100 ground surveillance radar stations, and 120 portable air defense missile systems.

Berlin will also deliver four IRIS-T air defense systems with 300 missiles to Ukraine.

In addition, a €523 million package jointly prepared by Britain and Norway will supply radars, anti-tank mines, repair military equipment, and purchase hundreds of thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Pistorius stated, “Ukraine needs a strong army, but only in this way can negotiations lead to a fair and lasting peace.”

The minister added, “Russia must understand that Ukraine can continue the war, and we will support Ukraine in this regard.”

British Defense Secretary John Healey, as reported by Politico, stated in his speech that he accused Russia of disrupting the peace initiatives proposed by the US and approved by Kyiv a month ago.

Healey claimed, “Putin claims he wants peace, but his troops continue to attack Ukraine, targeting both military objectives and civilian infrastructure.”

Defense ministry representatives from 50 countries attended the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, organized at the call of Berlin and London.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the meeting via video conference and thanked the allies for their work.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, informally known as the Ramstein format, first met in April 2022 at the US-owned Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Since then, the regular meetings have become a key international platform for coordinating aid to Ukraine.

The group’s members include NATO countries, European Union members, and Ukraine’s other international partners.

The format’s main objectives include ensuring the supply of weapons, training Ukrainian soldiers, discussing the country’s current and future defense needs, and developing long-term support strategies in the war against Russia.